alex211
Active member
I need to get a 3" air cut off tool to start working on building a tub for my jeep. I have used the HF $15 one and it worked alright, anyone have any suggestions in the $50 price range? thanks
$50 3" cut off tool
- Thread starter alex211
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billymade
Well-known member
So the Florida pneumatic tools are a good buy?
I'm thinking about this one here, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PUK17C/?tag=atomicindus08-20
I'm thinking about this one here, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PUK17C/?tag=atomicindus08-20
crewchief888
Well-known member
unless you're dead set on an air tool, i'd buy a (insert your fav brand here) 4 1/2" electric grinder and get cutoff wheels for it.
i do most of my cutting, up to 3/16" thick, with a grinder & cutoff wheels.
for me it's easier and cheaper than dragging out torches, or a plasma cutter.
zipping through sheet metal is a breeze with an electric grinder, use the air cut off tool for corners and tight spots
pmohr
Well-known member
I've had one of these for a few years now, has survived some tough abuse:
http://www.tooltopia.com/mountain-7326.aspx
http://www.tooltopia.com/mountain-7326.aspx
crewchief888
Well-known member
the best die grinder i ever bought was an Astro, probably from mac back in 1986. it got wet and corroded in my service truck last winter, and the bearings siezed up.
got it broke loose and it still works, just vibrates like hell
i use a HF cutoff tool, on sale for $6.99 or something like that
alex71
Well-known member
unless you're dead set on an air tool, i'd buy a (insert your fav brand here) 4 1/2" electric grinder and get cutoff wheels for it.
i do most of my cutting, up to 3/16" thick, with a grinder & cutoff wheels.
for me it's easier and cheaper than dragging out torches, or a plasma cutter.
zipping through sheet metal is a breeze with an electric grinder, use the air cut off tool for corners and tight spots
Agree, unless you have a good air source (20 CFM or better) and pick up a good quality cutoff tool/grinder. My 3M cutoff tools will go toe to toe with the big milwaukee grinders, and they're a fraction of the size and weight.
Cheap cutoff tool, or weak air compressor, and it just doesn't work. Go electric if that's the case.
azotto
Well-known member
Angle grinder set up with a cut off wheel hands down. Unless I ran into access issues from the size of the grinder, that's all I used. Had plenty of air and quality tools but electric was so much more convenient. Electric cord was easier to work with than the air hose most of the time also. Most of mine are Makita or Dewalt but believe it or not, the little Ryobi $20.00 grinder from HD works well and is still kicking after several years of beating it up.
Opps, sorry...Some Florida Pneumatics is good stuff but not all. In the $50 price range, you're probably just as well off going to Depot of Lowes and getting one of theirs they're decent for the money. I had a Husky that I was not disappointed with but nowhere near the performance of the one my dad gave me. Don't remember the brand but it came off a tool truck and was not a Snap On. A good one is going to run more than your $50 price point.
Opps, sorry...Some Florida Pneumatics is good stuff but not all. In the $50 price range, you're probably just as well off going to Depot of Lowes and getting one of theirs they're decent for the money. I had a Husky that I was not disappointed with but nowhere near the performance of the one my dad gave me. Don't remember the brand but it came off a tool truck and was not a Snap On. A good one is going to run more than your $50 price point.
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alex71
Well-known member
You wouldn't say that if you have used a real. good. air grinder.
alex71
Well-known member
see my post in this thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57985
LoneGunman
Well-known member
Since I got my Dotco and my 7.5 HP Eaton comp I very rarely use an electric grinder, I have 5 of them. As Alex said, you cannot compare a cheap grinder or low CFM compressor to a good grinder and good CFM's.
RbrtAWhyt
Well-known member
I have this unit from Craftsman and love it...
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ame=All&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ame=All&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
alex71
Well-known member
Don't forget the tool is only half the equation here. The compressor is very important. For example, the craftsman grinder linked in the post above this one has an air consumption spec of 6.5 CFM, and rated at .5 HP. Those specs are nonsense. 6.5 CFM doesn't get you .5HP from a rotary air motor. NOT EVEN CLOSE. If you look at the air consumption specs of die grinders designed for production, such as this .4hp Ingersoll Rand (IR website linked below), you will see what kind of compressor you REALLY need to properly run a rotary tool. The IR die grinder is rated for 19CFM air consumption.
http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/IS/modelcomp.aspx?am_en=44
Edit: fixed the craftsman CFM spec. Sears website has two different numbers in two places on the same webpage. Point still stands.
http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/IS/modelcomp.aspx?am_en=44
Edit: fixed the craftsman CFM spec. Sears website has two different numbers in two places on the same webpage. Point still stands.
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alex71
Well-known member
In my experience 20CFM is the practical minimum for heavy use of tools like these. with 8 CFM you get a short amount of time to cut, but when the compressor has to start up, the tool will bog down, unless you're just cutting thin sheetmetal in a straight line.
alex71
Well-known member
Finally found these two old pictures... Atlas-Copco air grinder next to an 8 amp 4.5" Milwaukee. Both have the same power (given a good air source for the AC). Which do you think will fit better in a confined space? Which would you rather use for an extended period of time?
alex71
Well-known member
That's not very demanding, so you should be OK with anything better than a harbor freight unit. just make sure you keep the wheel perpendicular to the work. put an angle in it, and you'll probably stall it.
jeepnut24
Well-known member
I use a 4 1/2 grinder with cutoff wheel most of the time....
However Im considering an electric powered sheet metal nibler/sheers next. (Don't have enough air to run a pneumatic pair)
Then again, I would probably just buy a new tub unless it was really going to be custom or a restoration. Mine has less and less tub each round of work and the sawzall with proper blades actually works the best for most cuts...
However Im considering an electric powered sheet metal nibler/sheers next. (Don't have enough air to run a pneumatic pair)
Then again, I would probably just buy a new tub unless it was really going to be custom or a restoration. Mine has less and less tub each round of work and the sawzall with proper blades actually works the best for most cuts...
crewchief888
Well-known member
I use a 4 1/2 grinder with cutoff wheel most of the time....
However Im considering an electric powered sheet metal nibler/sheers next. (Don't have enough air to run a pneumatic pair)
Then again, I would probably just buy a new tub unless it was really going to be custom or a restoration. Mine has less and less tub each round of work and the sawzall with proper blades actually works the best for most cuts...
i dont have enough air in the garage either, unless i move the wifes car out in the street and back my service truck up, and use that compressor. I hate hearing air compressors running anyway, thats the main reason i use electric at home, air at work.
seems like everytime i'm working on my s-10, i have a bigger pile of parts on the floor than i'm putting back in
jeepnut24
Well-known member
Awesome project, I would have gone with a new aluminum tub, that looks like the Eastern jeeps I used to see. Shame you aren't local, there are a few tubs in the local JY that are nicer. You are very brave to rebuild that.
Google electric metal shears to see the type of shears Im considering.
Google electric metal shears to see the type of shears Im considering.
crewchief888
Well-known member
Yikes 
that tub is in pretty bad shape. late last year i found a lot of jeeps being parted out around here, most of them were in pretty bad shape, but i think yours is worse.
(no offense)
what 4.3 you planning on swapping in?
i was really impressed with the astro TBI 4.3 i put in my s-10, added headers, 2" dual exhaust and a throttle body spacer.
it stayed running when the truck rolled over
that tub is in pretty bad shape. late last year i found a lot of jeeps being parted out around here, most of them were in pretty bad shape, but i think yours is worse.
(no offense) what 4.3 you planning on swapping in?
i was really impressed with the astro TBI 4.3 i put in my s-10, added headers, 2" dual exhaust and a throttle body spacer.
it stayed running when the truck rolled over
JayL
Well-known member
To go all the way back to the original question, yes this is USA built and when I was asking about reasonable priced USA cut offs, several people said they liked their FP a lot. I will be buying one soon, I'm tired of my HF stalling too!(and I have a 60 gallon 13CFM)
For precision corner cuts and tight clearances, an air cut off is a must. I own 4 4" grinders too.
crewchief888
Well-known member
mine was out of a 91 2wd. my s-10 had a 2.8/700r4, i pulled the eng and trans outta the van along with the harness and ecm. tore down both trans, swapped in the output shaft from the 2.8 trans into the 4.3 trans.
i reused the harness from the 2.8, had to reroute a few wires and make up an adapter harness for the distributor, but everything worked.
the TBI only needs 3 or 4 wires to operate, and theres always TBI engines in the junkyards.
the jeeps gods are probably frowning on us, you're putting chevy power in yer jeeps, i'm putting jeep axles in my chevy
good luck on the project
mine was out of a 91 2wd. my s-10 had a 2.8/700r4, i pulled the eng and trans outta the van along with the harness and ecm. tore down both trans, swapped in the output shaft from the 2.8 trans into the 4.3 trans.
i reused the harness from the 2.8, had to reroute a few wires and make up an adapter harness for the distributor, but everything worked.
the TBI only needs 3 or 4 wires to operate, and theres always TBI engines in the junkyards.
the jeeps gods are probably frowning on us, you're putting chevy power in yer jeeps, i'm putting jeep axles in my chevy
good luck on the project
Yeah, it has a 225 buick in it now that needs a rebuild bad. I want fuel injection and the 4.3 is perfect for my needs. I have the short nose front end so an inline 6 won't work. I'm planning on just making it a nice jeep to drive with some 31 inch mud terrains. I'm going to box the frame too, it has a bend in the front of the right frame rail so after that gets straightened the frame is going to get boxed and then plated in the rear. Then stuff like power steering, 4 wheel disks, hydro clutch, and hanging pedals to modernize it a little.